Hawthorne police Officer Jose Gomez stood in Torrance Superior Court and admitted he wasn’t sure whether he’d address the courtroom and the man who wounded him in a shootout more than five years ago.
A “game time decision,” he said.
Gomez was shot in the leg on April 7, 2019, during a shootout with a domestic-violence suspect, James Louis Boyd III, who used an assault rifle while attempting to run away from police in Hawthorne and Manhattan Beach.
On Monday, Oct 21, the 42-year-old Oceanside resident was sentenced to more than 59 years to life in state prison. He had been convicted, by jury in September 2023, of two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm on a peace officer and shooting into an inhabited dwelling or vehicle.
“As I reflect on that day, I am thankful I can stand here on both legs before the man who attempted to kill me,” Gomez, who returned to duty two years after the shooting, told the court.
He said the assault rifle Boyd fired could have crippled him, or left him dead.
That day in 2019, Boyd and his girlfriend were staying at the TownePlace Suites by Marriott near Rosecrans Avenue and Aviation Boulevard. They got into an argument about the girlfriend’s dog, prosecutor Geoff Lewin said.
When the girlfriend wouldn’t give Boyd the keys to the car so he could leave, he pulled an assault rifle from his bag in the parking lot, chased her and fired two shots, one narrowly missing a woman in her car, Lewin said.
A hotel manager called 911.
Gomez was among the first officers to arrive, saw Boyd with the gun and told him to stop — but Boyd continued running with the officer trailing him in his squad car, Lewin said.
He saw Boyd with his gun and fired 16 times from his SUV at the suspect, authorities said, hitting the suspect once in the upper-left back.
Boyd fired once in return and hit the rear-passenger-side window, then ran into the shopping center area, they said. Gomez and other officers followed, hiding behind a pillar in front of a business. During that time, Gomez stepped out and fired and Boyd returned one or two shots, hitting Gomez, authorities said.
Investigators found five casings in total that were determined to have been fired from Boyd’s rifle.
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Boyd’s attorney, Ronald Hedding said Boyd was a military veteran who served two tours in Iraq, had been wounded and honorably discharged and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Boyd did not offer a statement on Monday.
Jurors were hung on an attempted-murder charge, with the panel favoring guilt, 11-1.
Four other counts, including another attempted-murder charge, two other assault with a semiautomatic firearm charges and willfully discharging of a firearm in a grossly negligent manner were dismissed prior to trial.
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Judge Hector M. Guzman, before handing the sentence, said Boyd “set into motion events that led into what I can only describe as immense chaos and violence. It’s a miracle that one or more people were not killed that day.”
In 2021, Gomez was among those honored with the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor, awarded by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
“Medal of Valor honorees demonstrated unparalleled heroism in service to their communities, risking their own safety to save lives,” Newsom said at the time.
As for Gomez, he told the court that despite two years of physical and mental recovery, Boyd wouldn’t take away his desire to continue working as a police officer. He still works the same area and beat as he did before he was shot.
Several other Hawthorne police officers sat in the courtroom in support of Gomez, his wife and their nine-month old daughter.
“It’s been a long journey,” Officer Gomez said. “I’m glad it’s over and I can move on with my life.”